In one of the least surprising announcements of those thus far making early declarations, Clemson defensive end/stud Da'Quan Bowers has done the obvious and expected.
He’s making the early leap to the NFL.
Bowers, who will almost certainly become a top-five pick in the April draft, announced via a press release this afternoon that he’s foregoing his senior season and taking his immense pass-rushing talents to the next level.
“I want to thank everyone at Clemson for all they have done for me the last three years,” Bowers said in a statement. “I want to especially thank Coach (Dabo) Swinney and his staff for helping me develop on the field, and mature as a person.
“You hear people talk about the Clemson family, and when my father passed this past summer, I saw that first hand. There is a great support system at Clemson. The coaches and players were all there for me and I will never forget that.
“I also want to thank my teammates for all the support the last three years. I would not have received these honors this year without them. I made lifelong friends at Clemson. I feel I am ready to go to the next level and I look forward to working hard in preparation for the draft.”
Bowers led the nation in sacks this season with 15.5 and ranked second in tackles for loss with 26. He won the Nagurski Award as the top defensive player in college football, and the Ted Hendricks Award as the top defensive end in college football. He was also a finalist for the Lombardi Award and the Bednarik Award.
Needless to say, he was also the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American selection.
